The present invention relates generally to a mass polling system and more particularly to a mass polling system which provides a poll sponsor the ability to selectively interact with respondents.
Mass polling systems are telephone systems in which a number of incoming calls to a selected telephone number are tabulated and typically a recorded message is presented to each caller or respondent. Mass polling systems may be used to register public response to a selected question. For example, a television program (the poll sponsor) can present an issue or question of public interest, and invite members of the public to respond by calling a first number to register an affirmative response and a second, separate telephone number to register a negative response to the question. Callers or respondents call one or the other of the two numbers, depending on their position on the question. Automatic equipment then registers the total number of calls to each of the telephone numbers, thereby indicating the public's affirmative and negative response to the question presented. Other examples of the use of mass polling systems are in sporting events where the public or fans are invited to select or vote for a particularly favorite player.
In some mass polling systems (such as the one provided by AT&T) calls are routed from the originating central office over trunks to toll machines. The toll machines present a recorded answer to each call, generate a charge record which causes the caller to be billed for the call, and tabulate the number of calls answered at each number.
Another improved mass polling system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,633 (Borbas et al.). The system disclosed in this reference is for a mass polling system with an improved procedure for the manner in which the charge record and charge signals are generated and used.
Although these available systems provide means through which the response to a given question can be tabulated, there is no means provided in these available systems for the poll sponsor to have an interviewer verbally communicate with the respondents. Having this ability would be useful in television or radio programs, such as talk shows. Here, in addition to having the tabulated responses, it would be advantageous to be able to selectively confer with respondents in at least one of groups responding. This would make the program more interesting by providing viewers or listeners a more detailed answer to the question or issue presented.
Although some interactive telephone response systems are available, none provide the sponsor of a mass polling system with the ability to communicate with selected ones of the persons responding to the question presented. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,594,476 (Freeman) discloses an interactive broadcast system for use with a telephone interrogation system. The system disclosed by Freeman utilizes prerecorded data stored on various channels of multi-track tape deck. Different messages are broadcast based upon various audio responses.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,493 (Cave) discloses an automated telephone calling system which receives a group of telephone numbers from a host computer. Each telephone number is associated with a corresponding record of unique information. Each number is automatically called and equipment provides detection of rings, busy signals, recordings and voice answers. If a party answers a call, the called line is connected to a nonbusy one of the group of operators. At the same time, a report is sent from a central controller to the host computer indicating which number has been successfully called and which operator has been selected for audio connection. The host computer then calls up the record for the called number and transmits at least a portion of the record to the display for the selected operator. The operator is provided with an audio connection to the called party as well as a screened display of relevant information for that party.
As discussed above, these available systems do not provide the ability for the sponsor of a mass poll to talk directly to respondents.
Therefore, in view of the above it is an object of the present invention to provide a mass polling system which provides the poll sponsor with the ability to selectively confer with a responder to the question presented by the poll.
The invention itself, together with further objects and attendant advantages, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.